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Among the Shadows: 13 Stories of Darkness & Light

Friday, July 30, 2010

Literary Devices Part 5: In Medias Res

When I started writing poetry and fiction, my wise professor-friend Todd told me to remember the technique of "in medias res", latin for "in the middle of things."

One one level, plot-wise, it's about starting a story in the middle of things, not at the beginning. Classically, the Iliad is the example often cited, as it spans a few weeks in the last year of Trojan war, instead of starting at the beginning.

In poetry, for me at least, it's about bringing the reader right into the meat of the emotion or experience I'm trying to portray. Sometimes it's also about writing from within, as opposed to as an outsider.

In medias res has the ability to capture us by the throat with the first line and not let go.

It depends on the story for me. In several of my other books, I drop the reader right into the middle. In others, I did a little build up before the main plot got cooking. In this WIP, the first incarnation started in the middle of the action, and then in the rewrites, I added some lead in - because those first scenes add to the story and are important later.

One thing I hate as a reader is when the author drops me into the action so deep that I have no idea what's going on - and no one reason to care why all these characters are doing anything. Other than that, I'm good with most ways to start a book. =o)

I'm not usually a fan of being dropped into the middle of something without any knowledge whatsoever - but I have seen times where it works. For me, I prefer a small build-up/intro before being thrown into the action.

I thought you were talking about me for a second, since I posted about this not too long ago. Haha. I'm most definitely not a professor, though.

I guess I always thought in medias res applied either only to scenes or mostly to scenes. It was just a given that something was already happening at the beginning of the story, itself, since otherwise there'd be no point in starting it (or starting it at that point). I can't speak to the poetry angle, but that is very interesting to apply the same concept.

Where to start is such a tricky thing. I tried what I thought was in medias res by beginning one novel with a tense action scene, only to have several editors at a conference tell me I hadn't given enough up front for them to know the character and care about this situation she was in. So back to the drawing board on that one.On the current novel, I've tried four different opening points so far. One was too slow, one too melodramatic. Hopefully, I've found the right one--the event that begins to totally overturn her life.

This is good advice! I think that "in the middle of things" doesn't necessarily mean you drop your reader in the fray of an action scene from the start. I think like others have already said that we have to make sure we start where the conflict starts - with the triggering event that gets the story going rather than too much lead up into that.

I love these device posts! After reading some comments (past and present), I want to make an observation of mine own... it is in fact because I suffer from this "hindsight malady" that I can relate. As writers I think it is important to remember that there are always exceptions to the rule. In the case of In Media Res I can think of many... most notably, the Bible, (gospel or not, it is still a book).Devices aren't agreed upon requirements or recipes for all stories, they are themes that people have learned to relate to over time. They often describe a certain cadence of communication and can enhance our reading/listening experience. Use them to your advantage, but don't necessarily scold yourself for not (I am speaking from experience). Think of it this way, Chekhov didn't invent his gun, he merely pointed at it and described how one might use it. Devices represent a distillation of techniques, the correct blend of devices is what we are after.

I was reading through your blog (love medical Mondays) and-I must have watched that same show with the zombie ants-eeewww! There's another insect that gets it...it stays on the ground. Shiver. I also re-read lots of books. Sometimes, according to season, either because of when I first encountered it or because some stories 'feel' better during certain times....I do often have to buy new copies of my favs because I lend them out and never get them back.

I've done this in both my books. I've always felt that as a mystery writer I need the reader not too focus in one direction, and if you start at the beginning then the only direction they see is forward.

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